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The government has launched a new campaign to raise awareness of alcohol after a survey found that the majority do not understand how many units are in typical alcoholic drinks.

A YouGov poll found that while 82 per cent of people believe they know what a unit of alcohol is, 77 per cent did not know how many units were in a typical large glass of wine.

Fifty-five per cent assumed that a large glass of wine with 12 per cent ABV contained two units, when it actually contains three.

In addition, 35 per cent did not know that the average pint of beer contains two units, and 58 per cent did not know that a double gin and tonic contains two units.

Public health minister Dawn Primarolo said that the lack of awareness is 'no wonder' as glass sizes have grown larger and the strength of many wines and beers has increased.

'Excessive alcohol consumption is proven to play a significant role in the development of numerous diseases, including several cancers, heart disease and stroke. That's why this campaign is so important to the public's health,' she explained.